feeder

American  

[fee-der] / ˈfi dər /

noun

• feeders
  plural

1. a person or thing that supplies food or feeds something.

2. a bin or boxlike device from which farm animals may eat, especially such a device designed to allow a number of chickens to feed simultaneously or to release a specific amount of feed at regular intervals.

3. a person or thing that takes food or nourishment.

4. a livestock animal that is fed an enriched diet to fatten it for market.

5. a person or device that feeds a machine, printing press, etc.

6. a tributary stream.

7. bird feeder.

8. feeder line.

9. feeder road.

10. Electricity. Also a conductor, or group of conductors, connecting primary equipment in an electric power system.

11. British. a baby's bib.

12. Theater Slang. straight man.

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adjective

1. being, functioning as, or serving as a feeder.

2. pertaining to livestock to be fattened for market.

feeder British  

/ ˈfiːdə /

noun

1. a person or thing that feeds or is fed

2. a child's feeding bottle or bib

3. agriculture a head of livestock being fattened for slaughter

4. a person or device that feeds the working material into a system or machine

5. a tributary channel, esp one that supplies a reservoir or canal with water

6. 1. a road, service, etc, that links secondary areas to the main traffic network

   2. ( as modifier )

      a feeder bus

7. 1. a transmission line connecting an aerial to a transmitter or receiver

   2. a power line for transmitting electrical power from a generating station to a distribution network

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• feeders
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of feeder

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at feed, -er ¹

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

feeder feeders

There are other ways to provide enrichment, like rotating toys every day to stimulate exploration, using puzzle feeder dishes to satisfy hunting behaviors and playing videos for your cat showing birds or fish.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026

"Some of the dogs run directly to the feeder expecting rewards, some dogs freeze, some dogs will scratch the sample with excitement," Bitan said.

From Barron's ● Sep. 7, 2026

My worry for Fulham is they have become a Real Madrid feeder team, and their boss Alvaro Arbeloa has already got issues with his squad.

From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026

Cindy loves backyard wildlife, and the feeder seemed like a way to keep her connected.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 2026

He had placed a bird feeder on our porch, and we would sit there together as the birds darted in, picking up seeds one at a time.

From "Out of My Mind" by Sharon M. Draper

At a centre called "Sniffspace", dogs test human samples on platforms equipped with automatic feeders dispensing dog treats.

From Barron's ● Sep. 7, 2026

Our previous research found most birds that visit feeders obtain most of their nutrition from natural sources, such as insects and worms.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 24, 2026

This includes things such as unsecured garbage cans, fallen fruit, bird feeders, pet food left outside and uncleaned grills.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 6, 2026

They’d descend on his garden, where he’d set up feeders full of “nectar”—filtered water mixed with cane sugar.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 29, 2026

Bird feeders of every shape and color dangle from the awning, and a faded porch swing rocks in the breeze.

From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller

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